Asphodel
by Ezrudine
Summary: Do you believe in the theory that one's life would flash before their eyes when they are moments away from death? Ben didn't think he'd have to go through hell twice. A short story about the last moments of Ben Paul.


This has not been proofread, so be prepared for grammar mistakes and spelling errors. Feel free to point them out so I can fix them. This is just a short story after a thought that came to me yesterday.

* * *

Have you heard of that story where they said your life would flash before your eyes the moment you die? Do you believe it? I certainly didn't, thought it was just some of those crazy stories people come up with when they're bored.

But as I lay here on the cement with an iron pole through my stomach watching Kenny hold back the Walkers, I couldn't help but think how ironic everything was. Just when I had strengthened my will to live, to survive through this disaster, I find myself staring at death in the eye.

I didn't want to die.

No one does.

So, why must fate laugh cruelly at my face? I turn my head and saw Kenny looking at me with a remorseful look on his face as he pointed his gun at me.

I don't want to die like this.

I watch his finger hover hesitantly over the trigger, as if he was thinking that there was a way out of this. I didn't even notice that my mouth was still letting out desperate pleas of help. With the last seconds of my life, memories rush through my mind; it was just like everything had just happened yesterday.

* * *

_"Aww Ben, do you have to go? You're gonna miss my recital!" A little girl pouted as she tried to shoot an intimidating look at her Big Brother, Ben Paul, who was trying doing a last check on his stuff before he would leave for the Football Playouts._

_Ben just smiled in return as he ruffles her hair, "Sorry about that, squirt. Just make Mom or Dad take a video of it so I can watch it when I come back."_

_His little sister huffed and stomped on the floor, "But it's not the same!"_

_"Megan, sweetie, stop bothering your brother. Let him pack his stuff in peace." They turned their heads and saw their mom standing by the doorway of the Living Room._

_"But Moommmm—"_

_"No buts," She immediately said, cutting her off which made Megan frown and cross her arms over her chest. Their Mom turned to Ben, "Is everything ready, Ben? Did you pack your toothbrush? How about your clothes? Oh, and don't forget your extra underwear—"_

_"I did! I did! Geez Mom." Ben hurriedly replied as he blushed like a tomato over his Mom's words._

_She giggled in return, "Oh, I'm just teasing you Benny."_

_Megan laughed, "Haaa! Ben's totally a big baby!"_

_Ben blushed even more, "I am not! Heck, you're the little sister, remember!"_

_"Well, at least I'm not a big crybaby!"_

_"What did you say?!"_

_"Wow, it's quite lively here in the morning." A man's deep voice interrupted them as a man dressed in a white dress shirt and black pants came into the Living Room._

_"Dad!" Megan exclaimed in glee before she ran up to him and pointed at Ben as she tugged on his shirt, "Ben's being a total meanie to me again!"_

_Their father held back a chuckle as he turned to Ben with a serious look on his face, "Ben, stop bullying your little sister."_

_Ben had a look of surprise on his face, "Ha?! What?! I didn't even—That's so— Argh! I give up!" He threw his up hands in defeat as he sighed._

_Megan stuck out a tongue playfully as she smirked in victory; their parents in turn just shared a chuckle. The sound of car honking interrupted them this time. Ben recovered quickly and ran to look out the window to check._

_"Ah! The bus is here!" He exclaimed before he rushed to his bags and picked them up in a fast manner. "See ya guys next week!" He called out as he reached to the doorknob but was stopped when he felt something pull at his jacket. He turned and saw Megan looking up at him with a serious look on her face._

_"Promise me that you'll come back and attend my next recital." She sternly said as she stood her ground._

_"Come on Meg, I have to—"_

_"Promise!" She said louder than before. Ben could see little tears forming at the side of her eyes. Ben looked to his parents for salvation but he just saw them smiling warmly at them._

_Ben sighed; he just couldn't win, could he? He ruffled her brown hair, "Fine, I promise, okay?"_

_Megan's mood did a 180 degree back flip as her eyes lighted up like fireworks as she flashed him a toothy grin, "You better keep it!"_

_Ben couldn't help but smile in return, "Don't worry, I will."_

* * *

The scenery suddenly changed to something more recent. Ah yes, I definitely remember this.

"_I never made it home. They could be alive or dead or walkers or worse, and I don't know! So give me a fucking break!"_

Kenny was at a loss for words when I said that. A look of regret embedded on his face as he tried to offer me an apology. But I was too lost in my thoughts to notice, what I had just said my mind falter out of fear.

The words just came out of my mouth carelessly and I could feel my heart throb painfully. The words I just said hurt me more than I thought. I felt like bursting into tears but for some reason, I can't. Something's holding back the bitter tears that are threatening to fall out of my eyes.

Fear clutched my heart, was it because I accepted it, the fact that I will never ever see my family ever again? That I will never taste my mom's cooking again? That I will never get to see myself fishing with my dad again? That I will never ever hold my precious little sister in my arms again? That I will never see their smiles, hear their laughter or feel their warmth?

That everything I have ever loved was gone? A faint voice echoed a reply in my mind, saying the answer I dreaded the most.

_Yes_.

* * *

The string of memories ended and Ben could feel tears falling from his eyes, waiting for Kenny to just shoot him and be done with it. He watched as Kenny's finger pulled the trigger in slow motion. A small seed of regret bloomed in Ben's heart as the last of his tears fell on the bloodied cement.

'_I'm sorry Meg, looks like I couldn't keep our promise.'_

* * *

Wrote this after seeing Pewdiepie's let's play of the Walking Dead, yes I am very late, don't rub it in.

To me, Ben was the most interesting character in the whole game. Like, my first impression of him was that he was a spineless coward who always seemed to find a way to make things go downhill. But as the game progressed on, I realized that Ben was just a kid, a scared kid venturing out into the death stricken world with strangers he just met the other day, some of which want him dead.

And in that moment, when he suddenly snapped and shouted back at Kenny in the near end of the game, I really found myself tearing up a bit. Having a brother who's in the military, I live in constant fear that someday, something bad may happen to him and there would be nothing I could do, so I could very much relate in what Ben had gone through. Who doesn't fear the day when everything you love is just taken away from you? If I were in Ben's situation, I'd be very depressed thinking that I would never ever know what happened to my family for the rest of my life. So props to him.

TL;DR Ben is a very awesome character, he needs to be appreciate more.

Oh yeah, for readers of 'Their Last Hope', don't worry I already have the next chapter written but I can't upload it right now since my laptop is broken, I'm currently using my sis' computer. So give me like 2 weeks or what, to have my laptop repaired and shizz.

I should probably get a Procrastinator of the Year Award since I haven't updated that thing since August. Teehee.


End file.
